Basketball: Wellington Saints move to 10-0 in NBL

Wellington Saints' Tai Wesley celebrates during their win over the Nelson Giants. Photo / Photosport

The Wellington Saints' 2017 win-streak has reached double digits in the National Basketball League, steamrolling the Nelson Giants 110-84.

With Corey Webster being rested for the game ahead of a nine-day break for the Saints, the hosts were without their top scorer for the clash but fellow guard Shea Ili filled in Webster's boots for the game, notching up 27 points, 10 assists and six steals.

Despite Finn Delany's best efforts with 30 points, he couldn't prevent yet another Saints blowout, though Delany at least delayed the inevitable with a fast start to the game.

After two quick fouls to former Saints player Dion Prewster, Delany was getting many of Nelson's touches in the early goings and he was making the most of them, scoring the Giants' first eight points.

Delany got to the free throw line on three trips down the floor and also converted four of his five field goals to finish the first quarter with 15 points.

Against any other team in the league, that may well have equalled a first quarter lead for the Giants, but that wasn't the case today against the Saints.

Yet another Ili buzzer-beater had the Saints up 26-20 after 10 minutes, though that Saints lead would quickly expand as the second period got underway.

Until Morgan Grim hit a three-pointer three minutes into the second quarter, the Giants' 24 points had been only scored by Delany and Kyle Adnam, who ended with 25 points and seven assists. That lack of scoring options was ultimately hurting the away side, as was their foul trouble.

Midway through the second quarter the Giants had five players - four of which were starters - with two fouls which opened the door for a rampant 11-point spurt from Ili to put the Saints up by 18 points, paving the way to a 60-44 Saints lead at the half.

An 11-0 Saints run opened up the third quarter which essentially locked in a Saints victory, this time with Tai Wesley (16pts, 12rebs) to thank for their scoring streak.

As they have done in every home game this season, the Saints surpassed the 100-point total in the final period as they rounded out a dominant Anzac Day performance, seeing them head into their nine days off comfortably atop the NBL ladder.

The Giants, on the other hand, who next play on Saturday, remain in sixth spot with a 2-8 record.

In Napier, the Canterbury Rams bounced back from their defeat to the Giants by throttling the Bay Hawks 106-89.

Marcel Jones led the way with 39 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, shooting 16/21 and hitting five of six threes in a highly efficient display.

Jeremy Kendle had 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Ethan Rusbatch added 20 and Marques Whippy had eight points, 13 rebounds and six assists as the Rams overwhelmed an uninspired Hawks defensive display.

Josh Fox top scored for the Hawks with 21 points, but once again their stats cannot be taken at face value, considering the Hawks stat crew have routinely confused Fox with other tattooed player Tony Tolovae.

For most of the game, the Hawks had more assists than made field goals, as their stat crew continued their hometown advantage of giving players assists on all sorts of ludicrous buckets.

The Hawks' first game (on the road) they had an assist rate of 35%. Their next five (all at home)? 71, 79, 65, 94, 94. Hmmm.

— Sam Garriock (@Sam_Garriock) April 14, 2017

Jarrod Kenny and Everard Bartlett both ended with nine assists, but that is likely to be adjusted by the league when they review the game, as the Hawks eventually were given 30 assists on 31 made buckets - a wholly inaccurate number.

Unsurprisingly, that same one-eyed leniency was not given to the Rams, who were given a more accurate 24 assists on 39 made buckets.

The Rams now move to 5-5, while the Hawks' season is all but over at 1-6.